


They killed once an inglorious man

by tigriswolf



Series: comment_fic drabbles [102]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Character Death, Gen, Magic has a will of its own, Reincarnation has a way of fucking things up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-20
Updated: 2012-09-20
Packaged: 2017-11-14 15:46:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/516966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tigriswolf/pseuds/tigriswolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The thing about magic is this - it cannot be thwarted for long.</p>
            </blockquote>





	They killed once an inglorious man

**Author's Note:**

> Title: They killed once an inglorious man  
> Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Donne  
> Warnings: AU; character death  
> Pairings: none  
> Rating: PG  
> Wordcount: 265  
> Point of view: third  
> Prompt: Merlin, Merlin and other characters, Uther has the young wizard executed and his death has dire consequences.

A spark is lit.

.

The thing about magic is this - it cannot be thwarted for long. Magic is in everything, whether acknowledged or not, and one fearful king cannot destroy it. 

If he believes the last dragon in the world is chained under the castle, that is his decision. 

If he believes true sorcerers allow themselves to be executed, he is even more of a fool.

.

The spark ignites into a conflagration. 

.

A young warlock allows himself to be led to the chopping block, eyes on his prince. His future king has his lips pressed tight, fingers clenched, and stares straight ahead. He does not look over as the executioner shoves the warlock to his knees.

The king gives the order. 

The prince closes his eyes.

.

The conflagration billows out into the world and nothing in its path is safe.

.

Magic cannot be thwarted. 

Merlin lets himself die because his prince gave no commands otherwise. 

At the moment of his last breath, a child is conceived in the womb of a woman in the far south.

Within a year, a girl will be born, whose eyes flash gold with magic’s fire.

.

The world burns. 

.

Eowyn never meets Arthur, but she does wed Mordred beneath a blooded moon. 

Morgana is driven mad by visions of should-have-been, and Gaius leaves Camelot heartbroken, because while he still loves his king, he cannot respect the man Uther has become.

Albion is never united.

Dragons return furious and cities are lit aflame, and before it is done, magic reclaims the earth. 

.

From the ashes, a new world rises.


End file.
